Developing Commercial Skills for Buyers - BIP Solutions 7th March 2024 (change from 27th Feb 2024)

 Sorry folks - change of date and presenter for this event.  No longer 27th Feb but now 7th March with Gemma.

Will be a good event.

Developing Commercial Skills for Buyers - BIP Solutions 7th March 2024

 As well as all the exciting stuff around the new Procurement Act 2023, we haven't forgotten the general skills required for Procurement.  

One of my mantras is that Procurement is just the other side of the table from Sales.  But somehow they are seen as commercial and we are just seen as clerical.  Not accurate!

(though my wife who works in sales thinks her company sometimes thinks they are just clerks too).

So we are running a range of courses for Buyers to help provide all the business and commercial skills that they need.

The first one is Developing Commercial Skills for Buyers online in 7th March 2024 - run by my colleague Gemma

Details are here.

Apologies for the change of date and presenter (no longer 27th February 2024).

I'm still writing it though.... which I guess may NOT be a selling point, but you are warned.

Understanding The Procurement Act 2023

As mentioned in other posts, there is going to be a lot of activity in 2024 around the new Procurement Act 2023.

And I'm going to be part of it.

As well as my PAWA Consulting programmes, I am delighted to work with BIP Solutions on a range of events building on our Understanding the Procurement Act Roadshows.

I shall be kicking off with Understanding the Procurement Act for Buyers online on Tuesday 6th February 2024.

My colleague Gemma Waring will be running it on April 17th.

We shall also be running events focusing on what it means for Suppliers (cunningly entitled Understanding the Procurement Act for Suppliers - 30th January and 4th April 2024, both run by Gemma).

We hope you can make it, and hope it will answer your questions.

Fuller details will be available here.

 

Sainsbury's Buyers: Bullies or idiots?

Well, probably not either - but you might have thought those were the choices when looking at how they have been treating some of their small suppliers over payment terms.

Spend Matters blog has been running a series of articles about this by Peter Smith and Prof. Andrew Cox, and I have been chipping in in the comments.  Are Sainsbury's buyers ethical, misguided or completely right?  The TL:DR version is that some people will see this as unethical abuse, others as a legitimate use of their position, and others concern that it is a short term gain with long term damage to the supply position.

My thoughts are that there is likely to be short term pressures that may have long term implications, and that aggressive price tactics may lead to future price rises.  And that it seems bizarre that large relatively cash rich businesses (supermarkets) with low borrowing costs are extending payment terms to small suppliers/contractor who have to pay higher borrowing costs  - if they can borrow at all.  Isn't there a way to get better prices for shorter payment terms instead?

I think that we all agree that the important thing is that the decision should be made after a full and detailed consideration of the implications and results.

Interestingly enough Supply Management magazine just sent round a Survey Monkey questionnaire that might be related to this discussion: Are retail buyers damaging the profession? - you can fill it in here.